2017 Vacation to Walla Walla Wine Country - The Last Day!

Well, my last full day in Walla Walla was sure busy, and although I wish I had one more day, this was still a fun filled and relaxing vacation (and my first vacation of the year too!).  My day started at 11:00 am for a lovely pairing menu at Seven Hills Winery.

Seven Hills Winery founder and winemaker Casey McClellan at the head
of the table as Danielle pours some Artz Vineyard Reserve Cabernet.

I have to thank Julie and Danielle at Seven Hills for arranging a wonderful tasting menu with the help of Chef Sarah of Sipid Bites Catering.  And the best part was that founder and winemaker, Casey McClellan was able to join us for a while and talk about his wines, the upcoming harvest and the recent vintages.

The wonderful line up of small bites and fantastic wines!

As for the pairings, we enjoyed the 2014 McClellan Estate Cabernet Sauvignon with a tartine with roasted tomato, whipped chevre and fresh basil.  Then a sauteed mushroom risotto cake with arugula paired with the 2014 Seven Hills Vineyard Merlot (this was my favorite pairing by far!), followed by a Panamanian grass-fed beef empanada paired with the 2014 Pentad and finally a lamb ragu polenta with Romano and fresh herbs paired with the 2014 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from the Artz vineyard which was drinking beautifully!

Barrel tasting the 2015 Summit View Cabernet Sauvignon.

Then we were off to the barrel room to taste the 2015 Summit View Cabernet that will be released this fall, and it was fantastic with a very limited production.  We also had the chance to see the new catwalks that were recently installed which should make punch downs so much easier this year.

The recently remodeled tasting room at Rotie Cellars in Walla Walla.

Next I was off to Rotie Cellars for a tasting of their wonderful Rhone style blends.  We tasted through the whites and rose, then the Northern blend and Southern blend, all of which were very well done, old world style blends.  Ultimately I settled on a bottle of the 2013 Homage to bring home with me.

Pepper Bridge winemaker Jean-Francois Pellet in the library room.

Then I was off to my last stop of the day, down to Pepper Bridge Vineyards for a tasting with Jean-Francois Pellet, partner and winemaker.  After the winemaker dinner at Ox & Cart the night before, JF invited us to do tour and tasting with him.

The barrel room at Pepper Bridge Winery.

We toured the facilities and library as well as the barrel room which was very impressive.  There were five of us on the tour, so I spent most of my time taking it all in!  We tasted through the 2014 Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as the 2013 and 2014 Trine, all of which were delicious.

The view as we relaxed on the deck at Pepper Bridge, I can't imagine a
more pleasant way to spend an afternoon!

At the end of the tour, we went out on the deck overlooking the vineyard and the Blue Mountains and JF opened a bottle of Seven Hills Rose (back to where I started the day!) which was interesting as I thought it really spoke to the sense of community in Walla Walla.  After the rose, we had a chance to open a bottle of 2005 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon which was spectacular!  I couldn't think of a better way to end an afternoon of tasting than in that perfect environment.

Dinner on the patio at Passatempo, wonderful pasta!

II ended the day with dinner at Passatempo, a new (well new since my last visit in 2015) pasta restaurant in the old Pastime Pub in Walla Walla.  It's a lovely environment as I enjoyed an al fresco dinner on the patio, including a lovely beet salad and pesto bucatini.  It was definitely well worth it!  And alas my wonderful Walla Walla Wine Country vacation came to a close as I type this before heading to the airport.  I just need to make sure it's not another two years before I return!

2017 Vacation to Walla Walla Wine Country - Day 3

Well my third day of vacation presented the opportunity to accomplish some of the things I failed to get to the day before.  I started the day going back out to the west side to visit the two wineries that started may affinity for Walla Walla nearly two decades ago.

The school bell that you can ring at the entrance to L'Ecole No. 41.

My first stop was to the old school house on U.S. 12, the home of L'Ecole No. 41.  I had the chance to meet with Jaime, the wine club manager (though I''m not sure what her current title is), and she's always a pleasure to spend time with.  We had a nice conversation over some wonderful 2014 Perigee and 2014 Ferguson as well as the new vintage of Candy Mountain red wine, all wonderfully delicious!

The Woodward Canyon Tasting Room.

Next it was off to Woodward Canyon which it right next door.  I felt bad as I'd met Cory, the tasting room manager at the pre-harvest dinner a few nights before and said I'd visit the next day but I failed!  So I made up for it as we tasted through some wonderful wines, including the 2010 Estate Reserve, a classic Bordeaux style blend of Merlot, Petite Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.  Now the 2010 and 2011 vintages were very cool, and although they were somewhat disappointing when younger, they are really starting to shine now.

The Maison Bleue tasting room in Walla Walla.

After Woodward Canyon, I went back downtown where I first stopped at Maison Bleue where I tasted through some of their wonderful Rhone blends.  They have one of the most beautifully decorated tasting rooms in Walla Walla, and Cynthia handles the tastings so well.  I am not a huge Pinot Noir fan, but I have to admit I thoroughly enjoyed their new Pinot under the J. Meuret label.

The newly re-branded Bledsoe Family Winery tasting room.

Next I stopped at Graze for lunch and then to the Bledsoe Family Winery tasting room.  Bledsoe has undergone some changes recently as they established the Bledsoe Family Wines label to be a somewhat more approachable family of wines while retaining the Doubleback label positioned at the premium end.

Photo of the "Cadaretta" in the Cadaretta Winery tasting room.

After Bledsoe, I went across the tracks to visit Cadaretta to taste some wonderful Cabernet Sauvignon and blends.  They have also gone through some changes as they sold the Buried Cane and their other secondary labels.

The DaMa tasting room on Main Street, be sure to taste the Tempranillo!

I went to the DaMa Wines tasting room next, which is always a pleasure.  I was fortunate that Mary, the proprietor and winemaker was there, so I had a chance to chat with her a bit and taste some of the new 2014 vintage Cabernet Sauvignon which will be released this fall (and I'm really looking forward to that release!).

Pepper Bridge Winemaker Jean-Francois Pellet and Ox & Cart Executive Chef
Jacob Crenshaw provided for a wonderfully tasteful evening.

I ended my day at the Ox & Cart for a winemaker dinner featuring Jean Francois Pellet, the partner and winemaker at Pepper Bridge.  He's been doing this since 1999, and interestingly enough I remember having dinner with a good friend and mentor when I lived in Seattle in 2003 and he brought a bottle of JF's first vintage of Cabernet Sauvignon to dinner!

Caramelized Wagyu beef, chanterelle mushrooms and butter braised potato puree
paired with 2014 Pepper Bridge Winery Trine.

Ox & Cart is a wonderful farm-to-table restaurant in Walla Walla that exemplifies the wonderful array of produce available throughout the Walla Walla Valley.  We had a wonderful four course dinner with pairings at each course, but by far may favorite was the caramelized Wagyu beef with chanterelle mushrooms and butter braised potato puree paired with 2014 Pepper Bridge Winery Trine.  Of course we were invited to come out to Pepper Bridge for a tasting, but you'll have to wait for a future post to hear about that!

2017 Vacation to Walla Walla Wine Country - Day 2

You know there is certain truth the that saying about the best laid plans of mice and men...Today was my second day of a fabulous vacation in Walla Walla Wine Country, and although I had plans to visit several wineries, I ended up at only two, and of course that was just fine because it was the most awesome day anyway!  First I have to thank Jacque from Seven Hills who was so kind to lend me her car for the afternoon so I could head out to visit the wineries on the west side of town, it's just so amazing that the folks here in Walla Walla are so friendly and helpful!

The veggie hand rolls at Soi 71.

But first there was lunch!  There are many classic restaurants in town the I love to visit when I'm here, but then there are new ones, like Soi 71, a new Thai restaurant located next to another great restaurant, Saffron.  Had a lovely lunch of veggie hand rolls and Pad Kee Mao (which is the dish by which I judge all Thai restaurants) and it was delicious!

The beautiful tasting room at Cougar Crest Winery

Next I was on the road to the west side where I stopped at Cougar Crest to taste some wines (I am a big fan of their Dedication wine, as it's a great everyday wine for just $20!) and I also tried their "Syrillo" which was a blend of 50/50 Syrah and Tempranillo and it was very good.

The entrance at Reininger Winery

Next I was off to Reininger Winery, as I'm a big fan of their wonderful red wines, and I'm always impressed with the creativity of Chuck Reininger in combining different varietals and vintages to come up with some truly outstanding wines.  Over a nice charcuterie board, I had a very pleasant conversation with Chuck, as we share an appreciation for the wines of the Walla Walla Valley.

The painting the graces the label of "Mr. Owl's Red" as Chuck's kids had trouble
pronouncing winemaker Raul's name, so it came out "Mr. Owl"

So many other regions are known for particular varietals (think Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, Australian Shiraz, Lodi Zinfandel), but Walla Walla doesn't really have a signature varietal.  To me, this region is much more like Bordeaux, where different areas and varietals really exemplify the terroir, or sense of place where these wines were made.  This also makes the wines more subtle and nuanced, more of a thinking person's wine, not like some big bold wines that practically hit you in the face with a figurative 2x4.  These are the types of wines that you can sip on the patio for an entire afternoon and continually taste something new.

Cia and I in the barrel room, she was a wonderful host with an interesting background,
as she grew up in Walla Walla but then spent time teaching in Columbia.

Next it was off to the barrel room for some barrel tasting of some future wonderful wines.  I have to thank my hosts, Cia who hosted my entire afternoon, along with Dorian and Keith who were busy racking barrels.  For those unfamiliar with the process, as the wines are barrel aged, they are usually racked three times.  This is a process where the barrels are emptied and then the sediment is removed, after which the wine is returned to the barrel to continue aging.  The result is the removal of most of the sediment by the time the wine is ready to be bottled.

Dorian and Keith, Dorian is enthusiastic and great at walking me through what we
were tasting and really helping understand the reasons for how things come together.
Keith was a great young man who was working for the summer while attending college. 

The fun of barrel tasting is that you are literally tasting the future, and I must admit the future is looking very tasty at Reininger!  We had the chance to taste the third and fourth editions of CPR, a creation that exemplifies the creativity of Chuck Reininger.  The current, second edition CPR is a blend of seven varietals from five vineyards across vintages ranging from 2005 - 2012!  The third and fourth editions were quite delicious and I anxiously await their release.

Some wonderful future Reininger wines still growing up in the barrel!

In addition to CPR, we had the opportunity to taste the 2013 Cima (this should be another big winner), 2015 Malbec, 2016 Syrah and 2016 Cabernet Franc.  That last wine was interesting as it was fermented with skins of Viognier, which rally imparted a lovely floral note over the finish of the wine, again illustrating the creativity here and appreciation for old world techniques (think Cote Rotie, though this was done with Cabernet Franc instead of Syrah).  After this wonderful afternoon, I was back downtown to have a dinner of Moules Frites at Brasserie Four, always on my list of favorites when I visit Walla Walla.  Overall, it was a fantastic day, even though I didn't accomplish everything on my list!

2017 Vacation to Walla Walla Wine Country - Day 1

What a day to start a vacation!  First, I think I must have been drinking too much wine when I booked my flight out as somehow I must have thought leaving from O'Hare at 6:00 am was a good idea.  Then before I even left my vacation almost came to a tragic end.  At 3:20 am I was loading luggage into the truck when a big black and white skunk comes walking out from under the steps!  Thankfully it wasn't as startled as I was, so it didn't spray as that would have ended my vacation before it began.

Flying over the wheat fields in Walla Walla reminded me of an impressionist landscape!

So I made it to Seattle where I connected to an Alaska/Horizon flight to Walla Walla, passinf over the wheat fields that looked like an impressionist landscape and finally I arrived!  I took an Uber to the Holiday Inn Express (I'm not a wine industry professional, but I did stay at...those jokes will never get old). Once I got settled in I walked into downtown Walla Walla and my first stop was Seven Hills where I had a lovely tasting with Julie Titus and the gang there.

The tasting room at Seven Hills Winery.

Then I was off to Mark Ryan's tasting room on Main Street, which was a very fun time with some absolutely wonderful red blends.  The Lost Soul Syrah was a particularly wonderful wine that I missed in my wine club shipment, but made of for it by ordering a few bottles.  Tuesdays are somewhat quiet days in the tasting rooms, so I then went off to Olive for a nice salad as a late lunch.

The wonderful tasting room at Mark Ryan Winery in Walla Walla

After a hot day of more than 20,000 steps, it was time for the evening festivities, and I can't thank Julie Titus at Seven Hills enough for inviting me to an industry pre-harvest dinner at Tranche Cellars that was sponsored by the Walla Walla Wine Alliance.

A view of the Blue Mountains beyond the vineyard at Tranche Cellars

The setting was absolutely stunning, right in the midst of the vineyard with views of the Blue Mountains in the background.  The event was really a fun sort of wine potluck, where all the various wineries sent folks with bottles of their wonderful wines and everyone could try a number of different wines of their peers.

A fantastic venue for a wonderful industry event at Tranche Cellars

With food catered by Andrae's Kitchen it was a wonderful event with delicious wine and food, but my only problem was that it was so hot and after walking all day I just could not stop sweating!  I'm sure I was a fright to behold, but it was still an excellent first day of my Walla Walla vacation!

Some of the many fine folks who work so hard to make Walla Walla wine so wonderful!

2014 Peju "The Experiment" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Sunday!  It was a bit of a lazy day for me today, I came back from church and then did a bit of laundry, caught up on the interwebs and just generally relaxed.  So what better way to cap off an afternoon of relaxing than with a nice bottle of wine!  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of wine the boss gave me, he's really swell that way, particularly since he does a lot more Napa visits than I ever do, the 2014 Peju "The Experiment" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.  After reading the label, I did a little searching on the Peju website and found the story of this wine to be fascinating.  Apparently, Peju winemaker Sarah Fowler has an annual experiment where she try various methods for toasting and constructing the oak barrels and then shares the results with her fellow winemakers in a tasting.  For the 2014 vintage, she experimented with 33 different toasting styles and 20 coopers to make this wine, so let's see how it tastes!

The wine is a deep inky black at the center, with bright garnet along the edges, classic for a Napa Valley Cabernet.  The nose is a cascade of vanilla bean, white floral notes and a hint of white pepper that practically scream for you to take a deep sip.  The taste is a rush of sweet black fruit up front, black raspberry, plum surrounded by hints cinnamon that transition to some wonderful dark chocolate and white pepper notes midpalate.  On the finish, you have a distinct emergence of vanilla bean as the well integrated tannins provide for the long, smooth and very dry finish that seems to last a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, it's just a classic big Napa Valley Cabernet, with a lot of flavor complexity that you seldom see on many of the Napa styled red wines today.  This wine would be great to enjoy with hearty Italian dishes, roasts, wild game or a classic steak, but I think it would be even better just to sip on the patio with some salted dark chocolate.  Tonight I'm enjoying this wine with a rare grilled prime ribcap, topped with fresh rosemary and garlic scapes, along with a baked potato with sour cream and chives, and some fresh steamed green beans with red and yellow peppers.  Cheers!

2011 Chateau Grand Tayac Reserve Margaux

Happy Saturday!  So based on the weather forecast which called for rain and thunderstorms today, I rushed home to vacuum leaves and cut the grass before the deluge, and of course today has been the most beautiful day with sun and a high of 83!  So much for planning based on what the forecasters predict, but at least that gave me a relaxing day capped off with a nice bottle of wine.  Tonight it's a bottle I've been cellaring for a few years, as I just don't think some wines should be consumed early in their lives (you can see the review of the 2009 vintage here).  The 2011 Chateau Grand Tayac Reserve Margaux is a classic Bordeaux made from Cabernet Sauvignon (70%),  Merlot (27%) and Petit Verdot (3%) grown from 40-year-old vines right next to the Gironde.  So let's see how this one has developed!

The wine is a beautiful ruby color in the glass, a bit lighter than a typical American Cabernet, reflecting the old world style.  The nose is classic Bordeaux with a rush of leather, cherry and currant along with earthy undertones.  The taste is somewhat fruit forward, with some tart cherry and black currant that gives way to some mineral notes of dusty limestone and mocha midpalate.  The finish is lovely, with a reprise of earthy Bordeaux funk amid fine tannins that provide the structure for the long, smooth and exceptionally dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a great example of the king of Bordeaux.  This wine would pair well with some soft cheeses, pasta, or a classic steak, which is great since tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled T-bone topped with grilled garlic scapes, a baked potato with all the trimmings and steamed green beans.  The earthy notes in the wine are perfect for a hearty steak!  Cheers!

2008 Chateau Moulin de la Rose Saint-Julien

Happy Wine Wednesday!  I just got back from the gym and I thought, it's been a while since I've opened a nice Bordeaux, so why not tonight?  Alas, a bottle I found in a hidden corner of the cellar, the 2008 Chateau Moulin de la Rose Saint-Julien, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (62%), Merlot (28%), Cabernet Franc (5%) and Petit Verdot (5%), all from one of the northernmost regions of the left bank of the Grionde.  So let's see what this one has to offer!

The wine is a beautiful deep ruby color in the glass, just as you'd expect from a Cabernet heavy blend.  The nose is classic Bordeaux, with aromas of leather, blackberry, rose petals and just a hint of barnyard.  The taste is somewhat surprising, with a rush of tart cherry up front that transitions to some lovely notes of dusty limestone and green grass midpalate.  The finish is just classic Bordeaux that takes me back the the three weeks I worked in Paris in 1995 when I learned to truly appreciate red Bordeaux wine, wonderfully structured tannins that provide for an incredibly smooth, dry finish.

This wine would be perfect with a variety of wonderful beef dishes, but tonight I am going classic and enjoying this wine with a rare grilled prime ribcap steak garnished with a sprig of fresh rosemary, haricots verts almondine and a baked pomme de terre with buerre, creme fraiche and chives, as the wine just plays so well against the richness of the steak and earthiness of the rosemary, cheers!

2013 L'Ecole No. 41 Candy Mountain Red Wine

Happy Taco Tuesday!  What a lovely day, it's been warm and humid and feeling a lot more like summer than it did last week.  So, a perfect night for tacos and wine!  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of wine that's been sitting in my cellar for a couple years, the 2013 L'Ecole No. 41 Candy Mountain Red Wine, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (60%) and Merlot (40%) from the Candy Mountain Vineyard in the Columbia Valley of Washington.  So let's see how this one tastes!

The wine is a deep ruby in the glass, almost reminiscent of a nice Cabernet.  The wine exudes aromas of leather, blackberry and caramel spice, that just makes your mouth water.  The taste is a rush of ripe black fruit, cherry, raspberry, and currant that transitions nicely to some dusty limestone notes midpalate.  The finish is elegant and smooth, with firm tannins supporting the long, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, it's much better than the last vintage I tried (you can see the review of the 2010 vintage here), which was just too warm and spicy for my taste. This wine would be good with steaks, or with sizzling fajita steak tacos that I'm having tonight!  The ripe fruit is a perfect foil to the zing of the tacos, cheers!

2013 Stolen Horse Columbia Valley Syrah

Happy Sunday!  I must admit I'm starting to get a bit excited as I have just over a week until I head out to Walla Walla on vacation, so why not open another bottle of Washington wine before I go?  Obviously these will be hard to come by once I get to Washington state right?  In any case, tonight I've decided to open a bottle of a wine I originally tasted at the Doubleback Winery tasting room nearly two years ago (see that post here), the 2013 Stolen Horse Columbia Valley Syrah, a 100% syrah from the Loess Vineyard in Walla Walla and the Echo Ridge Vineyard in the Columbia Valley.  So let's see what this one has to offer!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, with aromas of raspberry, cherry, along with some lovely earthy spice notes.  The taste is a rush of ripe fruit up front as you experience a cascade of raspberry, black currant and cherry that transition gracefully to some lovely notes of anise, peppery spice and a hint of vanilla midpalate.  The tannins are balanced and well integrated, providing for a long, dry and exceptionally smooth finish that beckons you to take another sip.  This is a wine that I enjoyed during my tasting two years ago, and I could easily see myself sipping during a quiet afternoon on the patio.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's an exceptional syrah and certainly priced as such at $48.  This wine would be wonderful with a variety of hearty dishes, from steaks and chops to stews or Italian dishes, but for me, I've always thought Syrah was wonderful to enjoy with salmon, so tonight I am enjoying this wine with a lovely cedar planked wild Alaskan sockeye topped with lemon, rosemary and dill along with a baked potato and some steamed green beans that I bought from a farm stand yesterday.  The earthiness of the rosemary really plays well with the earthy goodness of this wine.  Cheers!

2015 Ste. Michelle Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

This has been a somewhat lazy Saturday for me, but at least I made it to Costco to do a little shopping!  And while I was there, of course I had to check out the wine selection to see if there was anything new or interesting, and I happened upon a bottle of 2015 Ste. Michelle Vineyards Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.  Apparently this was a tribute wine for the 50th anniversary of the founding of Chateau Ste. Michelle in Washington, and since it's Washington wine month, I figured why not try a bottle?  Besides, I really liked the classic, Bordeaux style of the label on this bottle.

The wine is a bit lighter in color than I might have expected, of course it could also be because a wine this old really should still be in a barrel, but I digress...  The nose is a bit odd, as when the glass is still you get a good whiff of spice and kirsch, but then with a little air, the notes of leather and black cherry really come out.  The taste is actually quite nice, with a rush of blackberry and cherry that transition to some nice black pepper spice midpalate.  The tannins are still rather tightly wound, but the finish is long, smooth and very dry despite the rather bright acidity.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's a very nice everyday Cabernet, and a terrific value as this wine was just $12 at Costco.  This is a good meat and potatoes sort of wine, which is a good thing as I'm enjoying this wine with a rare grilled bone-in ribeye with a big baked potato and some haricots verts almondine.  Cheers!

2009 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Wine Wednesday!  Tonight I have a treat, as I am gearing up for my upcoming vacation to Walla Walla, a bottle that I just happened across this evening, a 2009 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon!  What's not to love about a good Cabernet, especially one from Washington, so let's see what this one has to offer.

The wine is a deep, inky black at the center, with bright garnet along the edges, just as you'd expect for the varietal.  The nose is screams Walla Walla, with notes of leather, earthy peat and a good bit of Bordeaux style funk.  The taste is a rush of blackberry and cherry that transition effortlessly to some cherry cola and dark chocolate notes midpalate.  The tannins are nicely integrated and structured, providing a perfect foundation to the long, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's exactly what I've come to expect from a high-quality Walla Walla cabernet.  This wine would be perfect with a big steak, a nice prime rib, or a rich Italian meal, but tonight I am enjoying it with a simple dinner of broccoli rabe and garlic scapes sauteed in olive oil and tossed with linguine, a perfect light summer dinner.  Cheers!

Cogdal Vineyards Little Man Winery Big Lake Red Table Wine

What an eventful day!  My uncle and cousin were doing a Midwest road trip and decided to come for a visit last night and stayed for breakfast and church before they went off to visit some other relatives in central Indiana.  After they left, I decided to go to the outlet mall and then up to Lake Michigan for the afternoon, mainly to restock my olive oil and aged balsamic from the Olive Cart in South Haven, Michigan.  Which brings me to the wine I've decided to open tonight, the non-vintage Cogdal Vineyards "Little Man Winery" Big Lake Red Wine, after seeing the big lake this afternoon, how could I not open a Big Lake Red?  So let's see how this one tastes!

The wine is somewhat lighter in color, a bit of a cross between Pinot Noir and a Merlot, with nice clarity.  The nose presents aromas of green grass, mint and a hint of pipe tobacco.  The taste is quite nice, with a rush of ripe black fruit up front, blackberry, black cherry and kirsch that transition to some warm spice notes midpalate.  The finish is somewhat subdued, with mild acidity and mellow tannins supporting a smooth dry finish.

My view of the big lake in Saint Joseph, Michigan!

Now I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a big fan of my local red wines, as so much of it lacks depth or more often is just a sweet cherry fruit bomb, but having visited this winery, they have made some good progress with nice dry red wines and this one is no exception, so I'd rate it a solid 8.  An easy drinking red blend like this should be easy to pair with a variety of dishes, but as always I had to make it challenging, so tonight I'm enjoying this wine with panko crusted pork chops with some pasta and fresh green beans.  The subdued fruit and mild acidity of this wine makes it a prime target for pork, cheers!

2006 Mancuso Vino de la Tierra Valdejalon

Hooray, it's the first Saturday of August, and we know that means it's Cellar Saturday, that lovely day when I open a bottle of wine that's at least a decade removed from its vintage.  Tonight I am opening a rather recent addition to the cellar, one which was last month's office wine club selection, the 2006 Mancuso Vino de la Tierra Valdejalon, a wonderful old vine Garnacha from Spain!  I've decanted this wine for about 90 minutes, so it should be ready to enjoy!

The wine is a bright garnet color in the glass, classic for the varietal.  The nose is wonderfully herbal, with notes of fresh cut grass and a hint of mint over blackberry and currant aromas.  The taste is fruit forward, with flavors of black cherry, plum and cassis that transitions nicely to some mineral notes of dusty limestone and basalt midpalate.  The tannins are mature and nicely structured, providing a nice backbone for the long, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, it's a great example of a fine Spanish Garnacha and it was a terrific bargain as I bought this from Wines Till Sold Out for $20!  This wine practically screams to be paired with paella, but alas I'm stuck with a rare grilled Angus bone-in ribeye along with some haricots verts almondine and a baked potato with sour cream and chives.  The lovely fruit and acidity of this wine cut perfectly through the fat of the ribeye, cheers!

2013 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Cabernet Franc

Oh my word, the weekend is here!  I came home from work, ran some errands and went to they gym and now it's time to relax with a nice dinner and some wine.  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of wine from one of my favorite Washington producers, L'Ecole No. 41, and the 2013 Walla Walla Cabernet Franc, a 100% Cabernet Franc from the Seven Hills Vineyard.  So let's see how this one is going to set the tone for my weekend!

The wine is a deep, inky color, with some bright ruby along the edges.  The nose perfumes of leather, cedar, black cherry and kirsch, all combine to let your taste buds know something wonderful is about to come their way.  The taste is a rush of black cherry at the front that transitions to some wild flavors of black pepper, dried herbs and cocoa midpalate.  The finish has an air of lingering spice along with some lovely tobacco notes that has you reminiscing about that weekend at a rustic mountain lodge as the wonderfully integrated tannins usher in the long, smooth and pleasantly dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a beautiful example of what some of the most talented winemakers in Walla Walla can do with a blending grape!  This wine would pair well with a variety of Northwest dishes from salmon to dungeness crab, to the more traditional meat and potatoes.  Which is a good thing, since I'm enjoying this wine with a rare grilled prime sirloin over a bed of grilled leeks, roasted asparagus and a big baked potato with sour cream and chives.  Cheers!

2014 Woodstock McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Wine Wednesday!  So after work and going to the gym, I've decided to open a bottle of this month's office wine club selection, the 2014 Woodstock McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon from the heart of Australia!  It's been a while since I've had an Australian wine, which usually would be a Shiraz as they say, but they are also very adept at Cabernet Sauvignon, so let's see what this wine has to offer!

The wine is a deep, inky indigo with bright ruby along the edges,  The nose is a cavalcade of rich leather, green grass, blackberries and a bit of smoke.  The taste is quite nice, with a rush of rich, ripe black fruit, blackberry, plum and currant that transitions nicely to some mocha and caramel notes midpalate.  The tannins are still a bit youthful, with nice acidity to balance the long, dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's a very nice, easy-drinking Cabernet and an everyday value of a wine, I bought this one from Wines Till Sold Out for just $15!  This wine would pair well with a variety of summer dishes, from barbecue to steaks and tacos, and tonight I am enjoying it with hamburgers!  Truly a wine that can go with the simplest of fare, cheers!

2014 L'Ecole No. 41 Frenchtown Red Wine

Happy Taco Tuesday!  Guess what's for dinner tonight...At any rate, I've decided to open a bottle of wine I bought on my last trip to Walla Walla (can you believe that was two years ago?) and since it's Washington Wine Month (though really, it seems that every other month is Washington Wine Month) I've decided to open a bottle of 2014 L'Ecole No. 41 Frenchtown Red Wine!  So let's see how this one tastes.

The wine is a deep ruby color, comparable to a nice Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot, which I'm confident are in this blend somewhere.  The nose is a pleasant combination of leather, red licorice, candy apple and black cherry that exudes a mind fake of sweetness.  The taste is classic Washington Bordeaux style blend with wonderful black cherry, plum and marionberry notes up front that transition to some lovely mineral notes of dusty limestone midpalate.  The tannins are well integrated, leading to a long, smooth and very dry finish that's remarkable for such a value priced wine.

At less than $20, this wine is such a tremendous bargain, it's hard not to rate it highly, so I'm giving this one a solid 8.5.  It would pair well with a wide range of summer dishes, from barbecue to steak to pasta, but tonight I'm enjoying this wine with some panko crusted fish tacos with spicy red cabbage slaw and avacado.  Cheers!